The Relationships between Social Support, Selected Factors and Food Consumption Behavior in Adolescents at risk for Type 2 Diabetes

Abstract

This study was to examine the relationships between social support and selected factors such as age and gender of adolescents, education of primary caregivers, family income and food consumption behavior in adolescents at risk for type 2 diabetes. The subjects comprised 70 adolescents at risk for type 2 diabetes, using the convenience sampling by indicating the characteristic. Data were collected using questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation product-moment coefficient, and Chi-square. The study results revealed that social support was positively correlated with food consumption behavior in adolescents at risk for type 2 diabetes (r = .663, p <.01). There were no correlations between other selected factors and food consumption behavior in adolescents at risk for type 2 diabetes. In addition, there was a positive correlation between family income and social support (r = .373, p < .01). Therefore, health care providers, especially professional nurses, should collaborate with primary caregivers and family members to provide social support to adolescents at risk for type 2 diabetes. This will assist these adolescents to have more accurate and appropriate food consumption behavior.